The Extra Degree: Living With Grace

Being different for some people is easy. Easy may not equal positive. Maybe you are not in the "in crowd" and that causes you to be different. Maybe you would be considered a member of the "in crowd" and that is what makes you different. For whatever reason that you are different, you are exactly that, different.

Technically speaking, we are all different. Something about us makes us different than others.

I hope we can learn to be different because of something positive. Spiritually speaking, I hope you can be different by being "yourself" but the yourself is still real with people and able to show them that you are "living with grace."

Sunday we talked about that last phrase. Some may have health issues and must learn to live with it, despite the lifestyle changes. As we learn to live with grace, there are going to be some lifestyle changes we must make. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Take of the Offer ~ Grace is offered to you. Grace that comes through Jesus. Are you willing to take of the offer? If not, why not? Don't need it? Don't deserve it? If that isn't your reason and you do take of the offer, are you willing to make the extra degree lifestyle change to be the hands and feet of Jesus on this earth.
• Reject It ~ Once we take of the offer (above) our old life will have a tendency to want to creep back in. Our body was made a certain way and we like the way it has been made. To be given a new organ, our body will have a tendency to reject it. In the way of a transplant, we will have to take anti-rejection drugs; with a spiritual transplant, we will do the same. In this case, we were comfortable with ungodliness and worldly passions. To rid ourselves of those and replace it with a transplanted life, our spiritual life will reject the new life. May we take the continual dosage of grace to show what our new life entails.
• Live Now ~ Sometimes a deadline simply means that one can put things off until they reach that critical point in which they cannot wait any longer. That behavior is usually defined as procrastination. I think there are a lot of Christians who are figuratively procrastinating to use their gifts/talents until a day they are "ready" or think they are ready. The peculiar thing is that we are created ready. We all have our talents and we must use those talents to share our faith with them. The time is now to use our gifts and to share the joy that we have through the grace that's been handed to us through the Son...live now!

Changes to one's lifestyle after having to live with a condition are generally not easy. So to change our lifestyle as we live with grace may not be that easy for you. But to cause yourself to live longer, we must make those changes. Speaking from the spiritual point of view, to "live longer" we must also make some lifestyle changes. "Just say 'No'" is for more than drugs and alcohol. It also applies how we live with grace and let the previous life know it is not going to rule over us.

212 - The Extra Degree

What motivates you? Maybe it is certain types of music or movies you've seen. Maybe a regimen of particular activities. We're all motivated by something.

Sometimes I am motivated by the mood. Basically, when I get in the mood (or mode) to do something, I am geared up and ready. Something pushes me to the point when I am on a mission to get something done and not stop till it is finished. Until that point is met, I will generally procrastinate, unfortunately.

212-degrees is the boiling point of water. Up to 211 is just hot water. In 2012 I am challenging people to go that extra degree from 211 to 212. That is what we looked at Sunday in our lesson. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Extra for Others ~ Is there someone you see that needs something today*? Maybe a prayer, a laugh, a smile, a hug, a touch of encouragement/assurance, a note/text/e-mail? I know you're busy, but go that extra degree and do something for that person. It may not be a person you even know. (*today is whenever its needed)
• Extra in Times of Mistreatment ~ It can really stink when you are not being treated the way that you want to be treated. When you are in the middle of not being treated correctly (justified or unjustified) you may have a hard time "turning the other cheek" or letting it roll off your back. It takes me back to Jesus when He was hanging on the cross and "He hurled no insults" nor "any deceit found in His mouth." That is an amazing example of going the extra degree in times of mistreatment.
• Extra in Your Family ~ Families are probably the people that get to see the real side of you. This oftentimes means they get to see the downfalls. The times when we are upset, short, frustrated, slamming doors, saying "French" words, slamming fists, tantrums...and the list could continue. Some of these times are results of how a family member acts or treats you. This is probably in the biological family most of the time, but it can also hold true for the spiritual family. Try to go beyond all of that this year, go the extra degree and hold out the hand of grace, mercy, or forgiveness.

This month (January 2012) we are being challenged to do the extra things, go from 211 to 212 degrees. Become boiling to produce a power that can impact people's lives for good. Some areas of going the extra degree may not be able to be planned - it may have to be something you mentally plan so you'll be prepared when the time comes.

Now it's your turn...what will you try to do in 2012?

The Difference Between Ordinary & Extraordinary

When you get a group of people working together, over time, things start to emerge. At first, people may be going at a good speed to accomplish the task. Then, after a while, some will likely start to fade out. The task will become boring, too hard, someone's bound to have a headache, the temperature is too hot or cold. Sometimes, when the task is "just about finished", they'll quit to let the rest finish the job. Other things tend to emerge. The task will be enjoyable, challenging, beneficial, etc. These descriptions will be used, even if the previous thoughts/feelings are experienced. I once read about the difference between ordinary and extraordinary, and it was surprisingly simple. This brings us to this week's quote...

We must overcome the notion that we must be regular... it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre. ~ Uta Hagen

The difference: "a little extra". That is all it is. Simple, huh? There are too many regular people, what is fun about regularity? How many will try the new variation of a food item (i.e. candy bar, burger, pizza, etc.) just because it isn't the 'regular' one?

You don't have to be regular. Regular is the "middle of the road", same ol', same ol'. Go bigger! Go the "extra" to get yourself from ordinary to extraordinary!!!

Don't let being regular rob you of something that could thrust you into something great, unthinkable, extraordinary!

Have a great end of your week!

Striving for the "Extra" in life...